135 पटक हेरिएको 
Kathmandu: Hezekiah Otieno Pireh, Water and Sanitation Team Leader at UN-Habitat, expressed that the progress Nepal has made in the WASH sector through coordination at different levels has set a good example for other countries.
Addressing the 22nd meeting of the CWIS Alliance Nepal (CWISAN) held at the UN Conference Hall, Pireh praised Nepal’s progress and underlined the strategic importance of alliances like CWISAN.
Pireh emphasized that alliances help pool resources and prevent duplication of efforts. He noted that CWISAN and organizations such as the Municipal Association of Nepal (MuAN) can serve as strategic gateways for rolling out WASH policies at the local level.
With the UN Water Conference scheduled for December 2026 in the UAE, Pireh urged Nepal to seize the opportunity to showcase its progress in the WASH sector and highlight the contributions of alliances like CWISAN. He also cautioned that amid the country’s current political transition, the mandate of water and sanitation must not be displaced. He concluded by expressing optimism about Nepal’s bright future.
A major highlight of the meeting was the unveiling of the Local Government Sanitation Report Card, 2026, which assesses the Sanitation Service Level Status in Nepal using the Joint Monitoring Programme (JMP) indicators.
Er. Sarad Adhikari, Chairperson of the Society of Public Health Engineers Nepal (SOPHEN), gave a briefing about the Global South WASH Financing and Sustainability Conference 2026, which was held on April 1-3, 2026.
Discussions also covered several key issues:
• Satish Jung Shahi, CWISAN Secretariat Coordination Officer (CWIS Unit), shared information on the mapping of Fecal Sludge Treatment Plants (FSTPs) in Nepal.
• Rajit Ojha, Senior Divisional Engineer at the Department of Water Supply and Sewerage Management, Nepal, expressed interest in integrating the GIS data of the FSTP mapping with the existing data and system.
• The integration of the CWIS into the broader WASH Plan was discussed.
• Bim Shrestha, Professor at Kathmandu University, Dhulikhel stressed the importance of academia in WASH, urging the prioritization of research and helping publish impactful papers.
The meeting concluded with a vote of thanks from Moses Kipruto, Program Management Officer, Administration, UN-Habitat.
Established in December 2021, CWISAN is coordinated by UN-Habitat Nepal and comprises 22 member organizations, including academic institutions, bilateral agencies, civil society groups, international NGOs, media, private companies, and UN agencies. The alliance aims to promote safe and inclusive sanitation through collaboration and policy advocacy.
Photos:Suman Tamang/WASH Khabar
